President of India presents Swachh Survekshan Awards

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, presented the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2019, an initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, at a function held in New Delhi today (March 6, 2019).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that India has made remarkable progress towards achieving the goals of rural and urban sanitation. Today, a city or village is identified by its emphasis on cleanliness. This is an important change. By winning the first prize in all the four surveys so far, Indore has set an example for other urban centres.

The President said that cleanliness should be integral to the behaviour of every citizen to make it effective and sustainable. Many people pay attention to personal hygiene but remain apathetic to public and community cleanliness. Change in this mentality is important for achieving the goals of Swachh Bharat. He urged educational institutions to include cleanliness in their curriculum and spread awareness about the importance of sanitation.